This is the theme park version of the popular tv show, Fear Factor. They audition people before most of the shows, and pick enthusiastic candidates to participate in the show. I got on it and it was a ton of fun!
I actually tried to get on yesterday, and twice earlier today, but missed the audition time by a few minutes all three times. I didn’t want to miss it a forth time though, so I showed up almost an hour early and waited for it.
First you had to be weighed and measured to make sure the equipment they had would fit you. After than they line you up and played a gane of simon says. They made you do a bunch of rediculous things, I thin to make sure that you could follow directions, and also to gauge how interactive you could be.
They didn’t weed anyone out here, so it went right to the next stage. Still lined up you had to introduce youself by saying your name, where you were from, and what your biggest fear was. I think based on how loud, confident, and personable you were, they picked people to stay. I also think that all the people that said they had really common fears like of snakes, spiders, and heights were eliminated, but that could have just been a coinincednce. I’d say that about one third to half of the group got eliminated here.
Next we had to introduce ourselves again by saying our name, where we were from, and why we were going to win this showing of Fear Factor Live. I said that I was going to win because I rode my bike here from Maine, and that I didn’t come this far to start loosing now.
From here they picked the final contestants. They said that we had a really good group, so they actually picked twelve instead of six people from our group to do two shows. I got picked for the second show, but I think what show you got on was really them trying to make the shows even, and had no other meaning.
I had an hour to spare, so I just walked around for a bit, ate some food, and hydrated up. Before leaving though, I sized up the competition, and picked out who I though to be my biggest threat, Cassidy.
The winner of the first round got to pick their partner for the second round, who if your team won, would be your last competetor. Before the all met back up, I went over to Cassidy and asked him if he wanted to try and be team mates. I said that if either of us won the first round that weld pick the other, secure both of us a first or second place finish.
So an hour later, we all met back at the same place and were escorted back stage. We video taped our introductions, and were sized for outfits. After that we all got dressed, and were fitted for our harnesses. We went over some last minute instructions, were introduced to the host, and went out on stage.
The first event was the “Endurance Hang”. Here all six of us had to hang from a bar shaped like an upside down ‘V’ 35 feet up in the air. The first two to let go would be eliminated.
A woman, and then her boyfriend both dropped first. Cassidy was real close after him, so ot was up to me to ake our team happen. Juan fromm Spain dropped next, and then a girl was the 5th. I let go as soon as I saw her drop to save as much energy as possible.
It was actually really hard to stay hanging on to the bar because it was so slippery. I felt fine hanging, but had to put large effort into pushing my hands together to stop them from slidding off the sides.
Since I won I was interviewed, and asked to pick a partner. True to my word, I picked Cassidy to be my partner because I wanted to be sure to make it through the team round, and was up for a good challenge in the last round.
I was now in the second round, with Cassidy as my partner. I asked him which position he wanted, and ppicked the one I didn’t want so it worked out perfectly.
I was lifted about 10 feet in the air by my harness, and Cassidy lined up at a starting line. When the audiance counted down from three and screamed “GO!”, he had to run to a fish tank filled with carniverous eels, reach in and grab a bean bag, run back and throw it in a bucket I was holding.
We got four bean bags while the other team only got three, so we had the advantage going into the second half of this round. Here I was going to be pulled back 20 feet and then let go. I would have 30 seconds to throw all of my bean bags to Cassidy who only had a limited amount of space to move because he was tethered to a pole. We were going to have four bean bags and the other team was only going to have three since we won the first round, but at the last minute they decided that bean bags were for babies, and swapped them out for rancid octipusses. Let me tell you, grabbing ahold of those things is one of the grossest things I’ve ever done. Their tentcles would get wrapped around your arm…. Uhg! It was just disgusting.
We managed to get all four of our octipie into the bucket, bringing us to the final round. We were interviewed again, but this time as opponents instead of team mates, and then brought back stage again.
We were given gloves, goggles, mouth guards, ear plugs, and helmets. Having all this gear made the event even harder, but was obviously justified fot what we were about to do. Once we had all of this gear ready we went back out front and prepared for the final round.
There was another count down, and we were off! We had to climb up two boxes to reach a ladder, climb the ladder up to four fake window sills. At the end of each window sill was a flag myou had to tear off. After tearing the flag you would have to scale back to the other side of the building past the ladder, to the other window sill. After zig-zagging in such a manner all the way up the wall, you had to get your self to the edge of the building, grab a key, and slide down a fireman’s pole that looked like a rain gutter.
Once back on the ground, you had to run over to a convertible, jump in and put the key in the ignition. This car was wired a little different thab most. When you turned the key, instead of it turning the car on, it turned on a crane which hoisted it 30 feet back in the air. Once the crane stopped lifting you, you had to jump out onto the hood of the car, grap three flags out of the grill, and then race to the back seat, hurldling the window shield for a second time. This was by far the scariest part of the whole ordeal because the car was rigged so it was pitched forward slightly and water was being poured on us.
After getting in the back seat you had to pick up a “rocket launcher, and aim it at a target on the wall. The first person to successfully complete all of this was the winner.
I was right in thinking that Cassidy would be tough competition. You could see each other from the course, but I was so focused on what I was doing that I couldn’t look over.
After grabbing the first flag, I heard the announcer say that I had got it and then that Cassidy had also go it so I knew he was close behind. The next time I got to check how he was doing was when I was being lifted up in the car. I could see that he was just trying to get the key in the ignition, so I was glad to see that I had a small lead, but wasn’t releaved by anymeans. It was still anyone’s game.
My car reached the top and I hopped over to the hood. I made one wide swinging motion, grabbing all three flags with the same hand. I guess Cassidy slipped at this point but I was too focused to see it or hear the announcer talk about it. I got to the back seat and tried to pull out my gun, but its cord was tangled. I thought for sure that I lost it right then and there, but I still untangled it as fast as I could, aimed, and fired.
The building blew up, and our cars started to decsend, but I still wqsn’t sure of who won. I stared at the announcer with entisipation listening for the winner. It seemed like it took forever for him to say it, but he eventually did and he said… “Matt!”.
I was so excited. I think they interviewed both of us again, and then I walked out with the host of the show.
We went back stage for a last time. There were showers there waiting for us. We cleaned up, got back into our normal clothes, and got our prizes. We both got Fear Factor Live! Shirts, and a voucher for the new Fear Factor Video game when it comes out. Cassidy got two passes to the park and I got four.
I was stoked. I was still feeling the adrenalin rush an hour later. Getting to participate in the final round was amazing, and winning all that stuff was an awesome bonus.